At a press conference held today (May 9) by China's State Council Information Office, officials from China's Ministry of Commerce and Zhejiang Province provided updates on economic and trade cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC), as well as details of the 4th China-CEEC Expo & International Consumer Goods Fair. A Ministry of Commerce representative revealed that bilateral trade between China and CEEC has grown steadily since 2012, reaching an all-time high in 2024.
Yan Dong, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Commerce, noted that bilateral trade has grown at an average annual rate of 8.8% since 2012, with China's imports from CEEC increasing by 7.4% annually—both exceeding the overall growth rate of China's foreign trade during the same period. In 2024, bilateral trade volume hit US$142.3 billion, a historic high and a 6.3% increase year-on-year.
Yan also highlighted the deepening investment cooperation between the two sides. According to incomplete statistics, China's cumulative investment in CEEC has surpassed US$24 billion. In recent years, Chinese companies in the electric vehicle and battery supply chain have intensified their efforts to explore and invest in the CEE region, marking a new growth area in bilateral cooperation.
In addition, connectivity between the two regions has developed rapidly. The China-Europe freight train transported via the Southern Corridor has seen accelerated growth, with CEEC becoming key transit points and destinations. The number of direct flight routes between China and CEEC has also exceeded 30.
(Source: CCTV)
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